A promotional brochure in the 1890s to druggists, who sold the Pabst Best Tonic in their pharmacies, said that a poor proprietary article which has no advertising margin cannot live because no permanent demand for it can be created. The brochure said, “You know this. Our product is acknowledged to be A 1. We are the only proprietor who absolutely guarantees that he will take the goods off the druggist’s shelf and give his money back. Our advertising efforts make the article ‘a good seller’ .”

For the fist time national magazines and journals were able to reach potential customers across the country.

A. Cressy Morrison (1864-1951) believed in modern advertising in such publications. He wrote, “I should like to see all those who are as deeply interested in advertising, and as proud of the intellectual possibilities which it presents as I am, delve more deeply into its intricacies and if possible develop from their discoveries the principles which will ultimately form the basis for a just claim that advertising is a science.”

Since Pabst enjoyed the status of America’s premier brewery at that time, it is no surprise that advertising which enabled marketing and selling its products became serious business for the brewery.

Cressy, hired in 1889, proved the man for the task.

A. Cressy Morrison, seen in this photo of 1895, was hired to promote the Pabst products, particularly the Pabst Extract or Best Tonic.

Today I begin to post here about the book on Pabst Extract that I am writing.

I see this blog as an opportunity to share what I am researching and writing about at the moment.

Right now I am reading about Chicago’s World Columbian Exhibition of 1893. Captain Fred Pabst had built a gold replica of his brewery as part of the Pabst exhbit in the Exhibition’s Agricultural Building, located on the shore of Lake Michigan.

At the Fair the Pabst Brewery won the highest honors for its malt extract, The “Best Tonic”.

Below are the categories for judging the tonic and the perfect score that Pabst won.

CATEGORY

MAXIMUM POINTS

POINTS RECEIVED

Brilliancy

15

15

Flavor

20

20

Commercial Importance

20

20

Chemical Analysis

45

45

TOTAL:

100

100

That recognition, in the form of 100 points, became central in the Pabst promotion for the product for decades following the Chicago Exhibition.